Bulgur. It is not well known, it is a food made from wheat and one of the most used ingredients in the cuisine of the Middle East and North Africa , being the base of stews, cooked, or for salads, usually soaked in water.
Summary
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- 1 Brief description
- 2 Elaboration
- 1 Types of Bulgur
- 3 Contributions
- 4 benefits of bulgur
- 5 Preparation example
- 6 See also
- 7 Source
Short description
This cereal has been produced and served around the world for thousands of years, eaten by Chinese and Roman emperors and this Mediterranean. It is thought that the Hebrew populations may have already prepared it some 4,000 years ago, thus giving humanity one of the first processed foods.
Because it is already partially cooked, its storage can be long. It is eaten in Turkey and many other countries. It is a very interesting and easy to eat food. Although it has been precooked and cracked, it preserves 95% of the bran and the germ in its nucleus, so it is still considered a whole food. Bulgur is synonymous with broken wheat, it is a more elaborate version, since it is obtained by prolonged cooking of the wheat grains and their subsequent drying, highly consumed in the Middle East and Africa. It is not a different type of cereal, but its form of preparation is the one that differs from the usual way of preparation.
Elaboration
When the wheat grains are cooked they are dried on a grill and broken, consisting of a technique that has been carried out in the East for centuries. Depending on the wheat used, and depending on the grain used, different types of bulgur can be found.
Types of Bulgur
- Depending on the type of wheat used, one redder and one more yellow, blond.
- Depending on the thickness, there is a fine or coarse grain. Once cooked, the result is very similar to cous-cous semolina, when it swells with water. In fact, it is one of the dishes in which it is most used, tabbuleh , it is made in the same way with bulgur, in the Middle East and with semolina, in the Moroccan way . The most common culinary uses apart from the tabbuleh are stews of vegetables in which it is used like the rice , with which it has many nutritional similarities.
Traditionally, the coarser grain is used for pilaf (cooked like rice); the medium for cereal (an unusual and delicious breakfast dish); and the finest for tabbouleh (a typical Middle Eastern salad made with bulgur, chopped parsley, cucumbers, tomatoes, olive oil, and lemon juice). This fine bulgur can be soaked and served raw in a salad.
Contributions
Bulgur provides a large amount of starch , from the wheat with which it is made, and therefore represents an appreciable source of good quality carbohydrates , which provides a large amount of energy to the body, as does pasta, rice and other cereals. . For this reason it should not be consumed in excess by diabetics, although on the contrary it is very suitable for athletes or growing or convalescent people, being in addition easy to digest and assimilate. Its fat content is low, so it does not hurt for people who take care of their cholesterol, we are almost all from a certain age.
Benefits of bulgur
- Starch richness: cereal especially rich in starch, as well as carbohydrates of high biological value, which makes it an interesting food for athletes.
- Easy digestion: good food for digestion, recommended for people with stomach disorders or problems, thanks to its easy digestibility.
- Low fat content: its consumption in weight loss diets is interesting, thanks above all to its low fat and therefore calorie content.
- Useful for cholesterol: due to its low fat content it can also become an ideal cereal in high cholesterol reduction diets, thanks to the fact that it helps to reduce it naturally.
- Taking into account that bulgur is made with wheat, for those who are intolerant to this cereal they can buy a variety of bulgur prepared with spelled.
It is rich in minerals and fiber: such as calcium , phosphorus and potassium , as well as antioxidants : carotene, lutein, vitamin B, K and a little vitamin E.
It is an excellent source of dietary fiber, containing both soluble and insoluble fiber. Diets high in soluble fiber have been shown to help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease by lowering levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood (commonly called bad cholesterol).
Most bulgur dietary fiber is insoluble, and a diet high in insoluble fiber maintains the health of the intestine and, according to some studies, may decrease the risk of colon-rectal cancer.
Preparation example
We can add it to soups, bakery items, fillings or stews and stews. It is easily prepared: if it is medium or fine bulgur, it is enough to soak it in the same quantity of boiling water as of cereal, with the fire already extinguished, until all the liquid is absorbed; If it is thick, it will have to be boiled together with the water (double the water, like rice) for about 5-7 minutes and then let it rest without excess water.
It is an ideal food in a vegetarian diet due to its high nutritional value (53% of complex carbohydrates), its flexibility and its delicate and peculiar flavor. It is also a good substitute for meat in the preparation of hamburgers or vegetable dumplings with various ingredients.
